Writing Takes a Digital Turn For Special-Needs Students

Donna White remembers how her 14-year-old son would struggle for
hours to finish simple writing assignments. Sometimes, his frustration
would boil over into temper tantrums, making him completely unable to
write.

To help alleviate
some of the boy's frustrations, his teachers began letting him use an
increasingly popular keyboard device called an "AlphaSmart" to type his
assignments. Instead of worrying about the physical act of writing the
words, the teenager, who has a nonverbal learning disability that makes
it difficult for him to write, had more time to focus on the ideas he
was trying to convey.

Ms. White said the machine made "a world of difference in the level
of his writing and his ability to cope."

But after two years of using the keyboard, she decided to take it
away from him because she was worried it was becoming a crutch. Like
many educators and parents, White concluded that the devices were a
mixed blessing. On the one hand, they help students become more
confident in their writing and complete their assignments. On the other
hand, the machines may offer too much assistance to young writers.

This is especially the case when the machines are equipped with
spell check and word prediction software, which senses when a student
has hesitated to finish typing a word. Based on the first few letters
typed, the computer then will either finish the word, or offer a menu
of suggested words.

"We don't know the efficacy or consequences of using these
keyboards," said Alan M. Warhaftig, the coordinator of Learning in the
Real World, a Woodland, Calif.-based nonprofit group that examines the
pros and cons of computer use in schools. "The proof is in the pudding.
If the technology is effective and helps the students to learn, that's
great. But it has to be piloted and studied before we know the answer
to that. Companies are selling hundreds of thousands of these units to
schools without knowing if it works."

In addition to AlphaSmart, other word processing
keyboards—such as DreamWriter and Co:Writer—are competing
for a share of the school market and are a hot topic of conversation on
several special education Internet mail groups.

At $250 or less, the keyboards are less expensive and easier to use
than laptop computers, some educators and parents point out.

The tiny word processors look like the keyboards from personal
computers and either have skinny screens on top, or larger ones that
fold open like laptops.

But Mr. Warhaftig says he worries that schools are too quick to use
any products that will help students with special needs when there is
little, if any, research showing that those products actually help
youngsters learn.

Also, some educators say eager parents often buy the devices for
their children to use in school before the educators have figured out
how to use the technology effectively in the classroom.

Developing Thoughts

In the past five years, the 45,700-student Howard County schools in
Maryland acquired about 300 AlphaSmart keyboards for its students, said
Nancy L. Farley, an occupational therapist for the district's assistive
technology team. Many special education students in Howard County are
identified as needing the AlphaSmarts when their individualized
education plans are drawn up. Teachers can also check out keyboards
from the library to use them in their classes, Ms. Farley said.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based AlphaSmart Inc., has been making the
devices since 1993.

Yet not all parents in Howard County embrace the idea of a student
using a keyboard, especially those with word-prediction and spell-check
features. Some parents were initially worried their children wouldn't
get enough practice writing and spelling, Ms. Farley said.

But she says that skepticism tends to wane quickly once parents see
how the machines can help their children.

"I think using the keyboard helps them spell and write better by
longhand because it improves their confidence," Ms. Farley said. "Once
they can see what they are capable of writing, they will attempt to
write more" without the aid of the machines.

Brian S. Friedlander, a school psychologist in the Green Township
Public Schools in Greendell, N.J., and a national consultant on special
education technology, says that keyboards with word-prediction software
are an essential tool for students who need them.

Sometimes, he said, "you do get to a point whereby the student is no
longer progressing and you need to find an alternative means for them
to be able to produce written work."

"AlphaSmarts and word-prediction software are no more a crutch than
that of the student who needs to wear glasses to read," Mr. Friedlander
said.

Others agree.

"The students who use the keyboards in my class tend to write more
than they previously did," said Beverly Barnes, a reading specialist at
Patuxent Valley Middle School in Howard County. "They can focus on
developing their thoughts rather than writing out sentences."

One 7th grader in Ms. Barnes' class—where students both with
and without special needs use the keyboards—recently used his
machine to type an essay about snakes. With a big book opened to a page
with brightly colored snakes next to him, Willy Shaw, 12, wrote about
how he doesn't like to touch snakes.

"It's far easier to write with this," said Willy, gesturing toward
his machine. "It was frustrating in ways to write by hand. It took
longer."

Testing Raises Concerns

Despite the popularity of the keyboards and their word-prediction
features, questions persist. For instance, should students with special
needs be allowed to use the devices when they take state-sponsored
tests?

In Nebraska, decisions about testing accommodations are made on a
case by case basis. In Maryland, students can use word processors when
taking state tests, but not machines that are loaded with spell-check
or word-prediction software. Meanwhile, in California, students must
get waivers to use the devices.

Some advocates for students with special needs argue that to allow
those youngsters to use the keyboards in their daily academic lessons
and then prohibit their use on tests is unfair.

A lawyer for Disability Rights Advocates, a nonprofit legal group
based in Oakland, Calif., has filed a class action against the
California Department of Education to halt administration of the
state's high school exit assessments, which the group says are unfair
to students with disabilities. The lawsuit is currently pending.

Because California requires students to get waivers to use the word
processing machines during tests, a "student has to take the test using
the keyboard and then has to wait to hear if its use was approved and
their score will count," said Melissa Kasnitz, a staff lawyer for
Disability Rights Advocates. "Why should they have to take that
gamble?"

Since test results won't be used to hold students accountable until
2004, a spokesman for the California Department of Education, Doug
Stone, said the assessment is a "work in progress"—and so, any
accommodations given to special education students will also be under
review. But Mr. Friedlander argues that the word processing machines
don't give students a leg up on tests— they just level the
playing field.

"The AlphaSmart and word-prediction software are not going to write
the essay or answer the question on these tests, but simply allow the
student the opportunity to show what they are capable of doing," Mr.
Friedlander said. "That is why it is called assistive technology."

Coverage of technology is supported in part by the William and
Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Notice: We recently upgraded our comments. (Learn more here.) If you are logged in as a subscriber or registered user and already have a Display Name on edweek.org, you can post comments. If you do not already have a Display Name, please create one here.

Ground Rules for Posting
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.